Thursday 3 November 2011

Go, Litel Bok


It's out! The Etymologicon is in bookshops today. It is published (etymologically made public, and therefore related to pubs). I scampered up to the Waterstones on Islington Green and there it was on the table, lying alluringly next to The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

I feel like a proud father who has finally managed to clone himself in book form. At the end of Troilus and Criseyde, Chaucer says goodbye to his book:

Go, litel bok, go, litel myn tragedie...

And then he adds that:

And for there is so great diversity
In English and in writing of our tongue,
So pray I God that non miswrite thee,
Nor thee mis-metre for default of tongue;
And read where-so thou be, or else sung,
That thou be understood, God I beseech!

I rather like the idea of people singing The Etymologicon. In fact, I shall insist on it as a condition of sale. So, if you don't want to have to demonstrate a good voice and a mastery of the harp, you should run out and get a copy today.

By the way, for the Londoners among you, The Londonist website has a thing up today on me and the etymology of Tube stations. It can be found by clicking on this link.

Go, litel bok.

3 comments:

  1. Congratulations! I'm looking forward to purchasing your masterpiece.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Luck. I hope it brings riches beyond belief.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How much is that opus in the window?
    The one with the curly tail.
    How much is that opus in the window?
    I do hope that bok is for sale.
    Applause, applause,
    The curtain falls.
    Applause, applause

    ReplyDelete